In 1968, the Royal Thai Air Force received a batch of F-5 aircraft, including the F-5A, as part of an agreement with the United States to allow the USAF to operate their strike force within the country during the Vietnam War. Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, the RTAF received more F-5s via South Vietnamese pilots who evacuated the country along with the aircraft. By the 1990s, all the remaining F-5A/B were phased out in favour of the newer F-5E/F variant.

Introduced in Update "Storm Warning" as part of the Thai sub-tree, the RTAF’s F-5A Freedom Fighter is completely identical to its American counterpart. Although it can only carry a pair of AIM-9E missiles, the F-5A's small size and agility allow it to excel at dogfighting. The plane’s extensive selection of ground munitions also offers excellent close air support capability.